Taking The Plunge
by LilyGhost
Summary: After Ranger saves Stephanie's life, she finds a way to salvage his day.


**The very first line and question of this story are from a writing prompt I saw. The rest is what I picture had happened to cause this particular Ranger/Steph conversation. Anybody and everything familiar belongs to Janet.**

"Right now, I don't know if I want to kiss you or shove you off a bridge."

"Can I pick?" I asked Ranger.

"No. I've already decided that I'm going to kiss you until the urge and anger passes."

"Okay by me. This is probably the _only _time I'd want you to stay mad just a little bit longer."

His fingers tangled in my curls as he brought my head closer to meet his lips. Mine parted for him on contact, and I managed to block out everything ... this afternoon, my latest screw-up, and the attempted drowning-death I had just been spared. Not the half-hearted threat Ranger issued, but the attempt on my life that only minutes ago got Skeezer Lotick tossed off the bridge Batman and I are currently standing on.

I could've stayed there all day, happy to be alive and even happier to be wrapped up in the security of Ranger's arms. Unfortunately, a loud throat clear interrupted our moment.

"Looks like you got here in time," Tank said in a conversational tone to Ranger.

It's impossible to read Tank, but I'm guessing from that comment, which came close to sounding like a deadpanned joke, he's also glad I didn't get dead today.

"_Barely_," Ranger answered, and that's all he was going to say on the subject ... to _Tank _anyway.

I know a lecture is coming my way, along with the tightening of the electronic leash Ranger has on me, my shoulder bag, and my fleet vehicle, which are the _only _reason I'm not in the Delaware right now with two lungs full of water instead of Skeezer.

"Are the cops needed?" Tank asked.

"If they'd like a body to bag while it's still fresh. Now that I know Stephanie's alright, they can do whatever the fuck they want with the asshole. He's no longer my concern."

My guilt and embarrassment kicked in. "Ranger ... I ..."

His eyes pinned me to the bridge's railing. "_Not. Here_."

I gulped. Apparently kissing me didn't drive all of his anger away. Just a little reminder of how different his day could've been brought it right back to the surface. I thought fast, trying to get his mind back on me _and us_, and completely off me almost dying.

"Rex isn't leaving your apartment, is he?" I risked asking.

Though I really didn't need to. I know exactly what's coming. With every scare I put Ranger through, my stays in his apartment become longer. The 'apartment discussion' will be faster in coming and longer in ending today, since this had been my first trip in almost two weeks back to my place. I had wanted to make sure the rats and my neighbors' cats hadn't taken it over, and I happened to spot one of my must-get FTAs trying to get into a car I know isn't his. I decided to thwart a crime and fatten my bank account in one shot. I should've just _shot him _and saved myself the trouble and Ranger the worry.

Instead, I took off after Skeezer and only got my gun pointed at him before he rushed me and almost knocked my body into the afterlife. No doubt he would've manually given me a swimming lesson if I had managed to catch myself, but Ranger came out of nowhere and grabbed the shoulder of my jacket to keep me from going over the side of the bridge. With his other hand, he knocked Skeezer's head into the metal beam beside me. The rage behind Ranger's reaction caused a few semi-conscious staggers that found my skip face-planting over a hundred feet below us into what has to be water that's bordering on freezing. If the Ranger-forced trauma and fall didn't kill him, the current and cold would've quickly finished the job.

I understand a little more about Ranger's 'gray areas' now. Shooting the jerk in cold blood is morally and legally wrong, but not pulling my trigger almost got me killed because I forgot that insane people aren't afraid to charge someone holding a gun on them. And Skeezer is ... _was … _as crazy as they come. And after the fact - and the hit - neither Ranger nor I were willing to go for a swim to try to save that waste of skin and bones.

I should feel horrible for technically getting a guy killed, and maybe I will tonight when I try to fall asleep and repeatedly feel my body leaning head and shoulders out into thin air, followed by hearing the splash Skeezer's body made after Ranger arrived on the scene. But right now, I just want to go home ... or to Ranger's home and wait until tomorrow to be a better person again.

"You didn't kill him, Steph. So stop feeling bad about what happened. I guarantee that had he killed you, you wouldn't have made an appearance in whatever conscience he has left until the moment he realized I was about to kill him for what he did to you."

"I know, but ..."

"No buts. And if something like this happens again, I will kill you myself."

I smiled up him ... at what we both know is a complete bull crap statement. "No you won't."

He pulled me in even closer. "No ... I won't. But you owe me."

"Thank you for saving me. _Ag__ain_."

"Anytime, but you're going to pay me back by not putting yourself in danger again. I'm now adding it into your contract with Rangeman that you only do apprehensions when you have a partner with you. And I'm enforcing it. I mean it, Steph. I can kiss a lot of things in my life goodbye, but you _Are Not_ one of them ... "

Seeing my mouth open to say something, he cut me off by not pausing at all in what he wanted to say to me.

"Before you complain that I'm being overprotective because it's you we're talking about, _every _man at Rangeman is partnered with another. No one rides alone."

"_You _do," I pointed out.

"You're not me. But you'll notice that Tank was here less than five minutes behind me."

That shut me up ... and also made me think. "Does that make Tank _your _partner or _mine_?" I asked him.

"I watch both of your asses," Tank answered, ending his call to I'd guess the Trenton PD. At Ranger's sharp look, he added to his six words. "I didn't mean that how it sounded."

Anyone mentioning my ass, or God forbid suggesting that they actually watch what it's doing, is a HUGE no-no in the Boss' big book of rules ... even for someone as big as Tank.

"Stop scaring Tank," I said, winding my arms around my guy and then looking at his best friend. "I know what you meant, and I'm grateful for it and to you. Thanks for showing up ... whether it was for my benefit or Ranger's."

I felt bad all over again. Not only did Ranger just make him break out in a nervous sweat, I made the poor guy have to fight a blush at my acknowledging and appreciating his presence here with us.

"Cops will be here in under ten minutes," he said, keeping it professional, "if you want to take off."

"That's probably a good idea in case Joe assumes I'm the cause of this," I said to them, "and tries to tick me off to piss you guys off."

"Knocking one asshole's head around didn't put a dent in my mood. I'll be happy to 'talk' to Morelli if he's stupid enough to respond. The river is big enough to hold both of them."

I don't think he's kidding. "While that _is _true," I began, "how about we go home now and I let you give me a 'kick anybody's ass' lesson in the gym. And then you can pick what we're having for dinner tonight before I give the arm that saved me some special attention?"

"If Morelli becomes mouthy," he said to Tank, already moving me towards where he had skidded his Turbo to a stop, "give him a throat-smile for me. And have someone pick up Stephanie's car where she left it and bring it back to Rangeman. The keys can be left with you or Gene."

"I'll take care of it," he promised, making me make a mental note to treat him to lunch tomorrow.

Ranger opened the car door for me and watched me get settled and buckled into it. After he was back behind the wheel, he spoke and gave my heart a different type of jolt than what Skeezer had put it through.

"Don't think I didn't catch what you said, Babe."

"Don't worry, as much as I'm already dreading it, I _will _hit the gym with you. And not just today. I should've been able to pick Skeezer up myself and toss him into the river. Though if you want to wait until tomorrow or next week to get me into peak fighting shape ... I'm completely okay with that."

"That's not what I'm talking about, but I'm not letting you out of your promise. You said '_how about we go home now_'."

"I did, didn't I?"

"Yes. Which makes it sound like you're finally comfortable in my world, and do enjoy living with me for longer than a night or two until the current crisis has passed."

"I'm finding your world pretty comfy. And I do like being with you wherever we happen to be. Your place, Shorty's, or even a crime scene I'm responsible for."

He cut his eyes to me. "No buts?" He repeated, but in a different context this time.

"Only the one I'm sitting on that you and Tank are apparently both watching out for."

He started the engine and began maneuvering his Porsche around Tank's vehicle while dodging the traffic, bystanders, and police and emergency vehicles, starting to clog the entrance and exit of the bridge and shore below it. I gave Joe a good 'ol Italian hand gesture that I know he can't misinterpret, followed by an innocent 'Bye, asshole' finger wave, when I spotted him flinging himself out of the POS he'd been issued, clearly hoping for another chance to remind me what a fuck-up he thinks I am. My taste in guys and cars has improved substantially and irreversibly in the last couple of months, thanks to Ranger not giving up on me or on the feelings he knew I had for him. He knows and pointed out that I wasn't careful enough today, but his approach was to make me a better bounty hunter, not just make me angry and hate myself more like Joe got off on doing.

"You know what I said about the Batcave, Babe," Ranger warned.

"Yup. I'm betting your apartment on seven isn't the actual_ '_Batcave', but I'm open to the forever part of your threat anyway."


End file.
